WAEBLERS — THRUSHES 21. 



in Albany Division, Cape Colony, and at Irene and Aapies 

 Eiver, Pretoria District, Transvaal. The Eed-vented Tit- 

 babbler builds a cup-shaped nest of rootlets and twigs lined 

 with finer material, fibre, hair, &c., and lays three eggs of 

 a white ground colour blotched with light and dark sepia- 

 coloured markings. It is a neat, active little bird and a 

 true friend of the agriculturist, existing almost exclusively 

 upon insects. 



WARBLERS 



The Warblers (Sylviidce) are a large group of more or less 

 dull-coloured little birds, and difficult of correct identification. 

 They are also true friends of the farmer, but the few species 

 we wiU treat of will be referred to in other chapters. 



THRUSHES 



The family of Thrushes, Chats, &c. (Turdidce), is a large 

 one, and South Africa possesses a number of useful species, 

 including amongst them some of our best known birds. 



First in order of classification comes the Ground-scraper 

 Thrush (Turdus litsijisim^a), a biid wiih a pale brow 

 back, and whitish under-parts sprinkled with large pear- 

 shaped spots of black. Length, 8J inches. This bird is 

 scarce and local in some regions, although we found it not 

 uncommon on the Modder Eiver, Orange Free State, 

 and also along the Crocodile Eiver in the Pretoria Bushveld. 

 It is fairly common in German South- West Africa. Major 

 Sparrow describes the egg as of a pale blue ground colour 

 speckled with light and dark brown. It lays during the 

 months of September to November. 



The best known species of Thrushes in this country are 

 the Cape Thrush (T. olivaceus) and its " up-country " 

 representative, the Orange-billed Thrush (T. cahanisi). They 



